--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A drunkard in the gutter is just where he…" description: "\"A drunkard in the gutter is just where he ought to be...The law of survival of the fittest was not made by man, and it cannot be abrogated by man. We c..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d06/william-graham-sumner-5011_drunkards_a-drunkard-in-the-gutter-is-just-where-h_769812.jpg" --- # A drunkard in the gutter is just where he ought to… ![“A drunkard in the gutter is just where he ought to be...The law of survival of the fittest was not made by man, and it cannot be abrogated by man. We can only, by interfering with it, produce the survival of the unfittest.” quote by William Graham Sumner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d06/william-graham-sumner-5011_drunkards_a-drunkard-in-the-gutter-is-just-where-h_769812.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d06/william-graham-sumner-5011_drunkards_a-drunkard-in-the-gutter-is-just-where-h_769812.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d06/william-graham-sumner-5011_drunkards_a-drunkard-in-the-gutter-is-just-where-h_769812.jpg) > “A drunkard in the gutter is just where he ought to be...The law of survival of the fittest was not made by man, and it cannot be abrogated by man. We can only, by interfering with it, produce the survival of the unfittest.” [William Graham Sumner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-graham-sumner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Natural selection favors the unfit when humans intervene, warning against over‑control of ecosystems. **In simple terms:** Interference can harm nature. Key Takeaway Respect natural processes and limit meddling. Themes nature ethics intervention survival Mood critical ethical Type philosophical policy When to use this quote - environmental policy - conservation - technology ethics Key Concepts evolutionary biology philosophy Questions to Reflect On - When is it justified to intervene? - What safeguards prevent unintended consequences? A Different Perspective Human aid can also rescue the vulnerable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Survival](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/survival/) [Survival of the fittest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/survival-of-the-fittest/) ## Related quotes > [And yet, strange to say, now that this truth is recognized by most cultivated people — now that the beneficent working of the survival…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/and-yet-strange-to-say-now-that-this-truth-is-recognized-by-most/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [A drunkard in the gutter is just where he ought to be, according to the fitness and tendency of things. Nature has set upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-graham-sumner/a-drunkard-in-the-gutter-is-just-where-he-ought-to-be-according-to/) [William Graham Sumner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-graham-sumner/) > [“Darwin’s ‘survival of the fittest’ is really a special case of a more general law of survival of the stable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/darwin-s-survival-of-the-fittest-is-really-a-special-case-of-a-more/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [The CrossFit games, the four-time Fittest Man on Earth isn't about me. It's about Him and the talents that I've been given. It's my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-froning-jr/the-crossfit-games-the-four-time-fittest-man-on-earth-isn-t-about-me/) [Rich Froning Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-froning-jr/) > [ And yet, strange to say, now that the truth \[of natural selection\] is recognized by most cultivated people...now more than ever, in the history… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/and-yet-strange-to-say-now-that-the-truth-of-natural-selection-is/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [A declining institution often experiences survival of the unfittest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccarthy/a-declining-institution-often-experiences-survival-of-the-unfittest/) [John McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccarthy/) > [The American language is in a state of flux based upon survival of the unfittest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-connolly/the-american-language-is-in-a-state-of-flux-based-upon-survival-of/) [Cyril Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-connolly/) > [The law of the survival of the fittest led inevitably to the survival and predominance of the men who were effective in war and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elihu-root/the-law-of-the-survival-of-the-fittest-led-inevitably-to-the-survival/) [Elihu Root](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elihu-root/) > [The law is the survival of the fittest… The law is not the survival of the 'better' or the 'stronger,' if we give to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/the-law-is-the-survival-of-the-fittest-the-law-is-not-the-survival-of/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [“A law of survival, Ragle had said. Those who refused to respond to the new stimulus would perish. Adapt or perish . . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/a-law-of-survival-ragle-had-said-those-who-refused-to-respond-to-the/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [Adams first law of survival: Get even first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-dale-adams/adams-first-law-of-survival-get-even-first/) [Randall Dale Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-dale-adams/) > [Survival of the fittest led to "nature red in tooth and claw" and this is not sufficiently wishy-washy for modern scientists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-standen/survival-of-the-fittest-led-to-nature-red-in-tooth-and-claw-and-this/) [Anthony Standen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-standen/) > [Most people are satisfied with a world, in which survival is for the fittest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/most-people-are-satisfied-with-a-world-in-which-survival-is-for-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It felt to me as if we were all involved in some kind of twisted, South-of-the-Border, Darwinian, "Survival of The Fittest" experiment. And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/it-felt-to-me-as-if-we-were-all-involved-in-some-kind-of-twisted/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [The survival of the fittest is the ageless law of nature, but the fittest are rarely the strong. The fittest are those endowed with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-smalley/the-survival-of-the-fittest-is-the-ageless-law-of-nature-but-the/) [Dave Smalley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-smalley/) ## More by William Graham Sumner > [The great force for forging a society into a solid mass has always been war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-graham-sumner/the-great-force-for-forging-a-society-into-a-solid-mass-has-always/) [William Graham Sumner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-graham-sumner/) > [One thing must be granted to the rich: they are goodnatured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-graham-sumner/one-thing-must-be-granted-to-the-rich-they-are-goodnatured/) [William Graham Sumner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-graham-sumner/) > [“Can anyone imagine that the masterfulness, the overbearing disposition, the greed of gain, and the ruthlessness in methods, which are the faults of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-graham-sumner/can-anyone-imagine-that-the-masterfulness-the-overbearing-disposition/) [William Graham Sumner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-graham-sumner/) > [The waste of capital, in proportion to the total capital, in this country between 1800 and 1850, in the attempts which were made to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-graham-sumner/the-waste-of-capital-in-proportion-to-the-total-capital-in-this/) [William Graham Sumner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-graham-sumner/) > [We shall find that every effort to realize equality necessitates a sacrifice of liberty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-graham-sumner/we-shall-find-that-every-effort-to-realize-equality-necessitates-a/) [William Graham Sumner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-graham-sumner/) > [Who is the Forgotten Man? He is the clean, quiet, virtuous, domestic citizen, who pays his debts and his taxes and is never heard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-graham-sumner/who-is-the-forgotten-man-he-is-the-clean-quiet-virtuous-domestic/) [William Graham Sumner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-graham-sumner/) > [The men who start out with the notion that the world owes them a living generally find that the world pays its 'debt' in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-graham-sumner/the-men-who-start-out-with-the-notion-that-the-world-owes-them-a/) [William Graham Sumner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-graham-sumner/) > [The taxing power is especially something after which the reformer's finger always itches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-graham-sumner/the-taxing-power-is-especially-something-after-which-the-reformer-s/) [William Graham Sumner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-graham-sumner/) > [Great captains of industry are as rare as great generals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-graham-sumner/great-captains-of-industry-are-as-rare-as-great-generals/) [William Graham Sumner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-graham-sumner/) > [Whatever capital you divert to the support of a shiftless and good-for-nothing person is so much diverted from some other employment, and that means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-graham-sumner/whatever-capital-you-divert-to-the-support-of-a-shiftless-and-good/) [William Graham Sumner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-graham-sumner/) > [ The yearning after equality \[in economic outcome\] is the offspring of envy and covetousness, and there is no possible plan for satisfying that yearning… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-graham-sumner/the-yearning-after-equality-in-economic-outcome-is-the-offspring-of/) [William Graham Sumner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-graham-sumner/) > [I never have known a man of ordinary common-sense who did not urge upon his sons, from earliest childhood, doctrines of economy and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-graham-sumner/i-never-have-known-a-man-of-ordinary-common-sense-who-did-not-urge/) [William Graham Sumner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-graham-sumner/) > [Before the tribunal of nature, a man has no more right to life than a rattlesnake; he has no more right to liberty than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-graham-sumner/before-the-tribunal-of-nature-a-man-has-no-more-right-to-life-than-a/) [William Graham Sumner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-graham-sumner/) > [The millionaires are a product of natural selection ... the naturally selected agents of society for certain work. They get high wages and live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-graham-sumner/the-millionaires-are-a-product-of-natural-selection-the-naturally/) [William Graham Sumner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-graham-sumner/) > [Perhaps they do not recognize themselves, for a rich man is even harder to define than a poor one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-graham-sumner/perhaps-they-do-not-recognize-themselves-for-a-rich-man-is-even/) [William Graham Sumner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-graham-sumner/) [Explore all 104 William Graham Sumner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-graham-sumner/) ## More Drunkards quotes > [God helps three sorts of people: fools, children and drunkards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/proverb/god-helps-three-sorts-of-people-fools-children-and-drunkards/) Proverb > [That human existence should repeat itself, well and good, but that it should repeat itself like a hackneyed tune, or a record a drunkard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislaw-lem/that-human-existence-should-repeat-itself-well-and-good-but-that-it/) [Stanislaw Lem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanislaw-lem/) > [There are more Physitians in health then drunkards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/there-are-more-physitians-in-health-then-drunkards/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [A drunkard is like a whiskey-bottle, all neck and belly and no head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/a-drunkard-is-like-a-whiskey-bottle-all-neck-and-belly-and-no-head/) [Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/) > [Before the Roman came to Rye or out to severn strode, / The rolling English drunkard made the rolling English road.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/before-the-roman-came-to-rye-or-out-to-severn-strode-the-rolling/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Sometimes I wish I was just a simple drunkard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-morrissey/sometimes-i-wish-i-was-just-a-simple-drunkard/) [Steven Morrissey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-morrissey/) > [“Down Where the Drunkards Roll.” “How”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-rankin/down-where-the-drunkards-roll-how/) [Ian Rankin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-rankin/) > [If the impure and the unjust, the drunkard and the licentious, are loathsome to us, what must be the infinite loathing of an infinitely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyman-abbott/if-the-impure-and-the-unjust-the-drunkard-and-the-licentious-are/) [Lyman Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyman-abbott/) > [Some people miss flesh as a drunkard misses his dram.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-muir/some-people-miss-flesh-as-a-drunkard-misses-his-dram/) [John Muir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-muir/) > [A teetotaler would regard it as his duty to associate with his drunkard brother for the purpose of weaning him from the evil habit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/a-teetotaler-would-regard-it-as-his-duty-to-associate-with-his/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“These are the words of a fool: I am happy to be a fool, for i won't spend my time gazing at lines difficult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/these-are-the-words-of-a-fool-i-am-happy-to-be-a-fool-for-i-won-t/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [Everyone knows that drunkards and lovers have a protecting diety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/everyone-knows-that-drunkards-and-lovers-have-a-protecting-diety/) [Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/) > [There is nothing in the world more helpless and irresponsible and depraved than a man in the depths of an ether binge. It makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/there-is-nothing-in-the-world-more-helpless-and-irresponsible-and/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [This is the excellent foppery of the world, that, when we are sick in fortune,--often the surfeit of our own behavior,--we make guilty of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/this-is-the-excellent-foppery-of-the-world-that-when-we-are-sick-in/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“In the shadow of feigned cripples and false wounds come the strong arms of thieves and very healthy drunkards.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra/in-the-shadow-of-feigned-cripples-and-false-wounds-come-the-strong/) [Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes-saavedra/) Browse all 119 Drunkards quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A drunkard in the gutter is just where he ought to be...The law of survival of the fittest was not made by man, and it cannot be abrogated by man. 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